The Guardians of the Skies have long advocated for some padding under their wings. And that’s exactly what Southwest Airlines flight attendants just received thanks to their efforts with the Transport Workers Union (TWU). Last week, Southwest’s flight attendants agreed to a new four-year contract that included a raise of more than 33% — and as of Wednesday, Southwest’s flight attendants will get a 22.3% raise, followed by 3% over the next three years.
Their success means Southwest flight attendants are now the highest paid in the industry, earning 14% more than the next best in their role, Delta flight attendants, according to TWU. United, Alaska and America Airlines are also in contract negotiations.
“This is a significant victory for flight attendants across the industry and TWU has proven once again that we are an incredibly effective voice for flight attendants,” John Samuelsen, president of TWU International, said in a statement.
The contract also provides for paid maternity and paternity leave, which TWU says is “a first in the industry.” It also provides health insurance for a flight attendant caring for a newborn, as well as $364 million in retroactive compensation reached during contract negotiations.
During the pandemic, the flight attendant job took a nosedive. It was an already difficult job, marked by low pay, long hours and a series of lawsuits related to the deep-rooted sexism the nurses faced. But problems with pilot staffing, new regulations and hostile customers made the job even more difficult.
“I always tell people that when Covid happened, all the fun parts of being a flight attendant – all the satisfying, exciting parts of being a flight attendant – were taken out of the job,” flight attendant Rich Henderson told CNN. Difficulties in recruiting and retaining workers meant that those who were no longer working had greater influence when negotiating new contracts with employers. However, in trying to get back on their feet, airlines have had to reach out to their employees. For example, Delta gave its employees a 5% raise and a bonus of $1.4 billion this year (10 times more than in 2022).
“We are proud of the new collective bargaining agreement, effective today, that will provide our dedicated flight attendants with industry-leading compensation and quality of life improvements, while providing important efficiencies in Southwest’s operations,” said a Southwest Airlines spokesperson Assetswho added that the company has had “no issues with hiring or retaining flight attendants” and is instead limiting hiring this year.
“This deal provides significant salary increases and critical quality of life improvements for TWU’s Southwest Flight Attendants, who have weathered historic operational shutdowns and a global pandemic,” Alex Garcia, EVP of TWU International, said in a statement. “TWU Local 556 has received measurable compensation at all stages of the day, putting real money into our flight attendants’ paychecks. This is the least they deserve after years of hard work and negotiations.”
Flight attendants’ push for better pay and conditions goes back decades, as noted by Mary Longobardi, the former president of Southwest Airlines’ unionized flight attendants and a flight attendant herself. Southwest flight attendants became the airline’s second unionized labor group after mechanics in the 1970s.
This story was originally published on Fortune.com